AN: Yey! Another chappy for you guys. So watcha think? I'd love to get a few reviews, so wont you drop a line?

Gilbert woke up groggily. He blinked and looked around the first thing his mind put together was 'Why am I sticky?. . .I need to take a shower. . .' He attempted to move, but found another person lying in bed with him. Blinking he brushed the blanket away from her face. "Quistis?" He asked softly shaking her shoulder "Hey. . .It's morning. . ." He smiled softly. Quistis slowly opened her eyes and smiled at Gilbert, "Oh my I guess it is morning.." She said as she stared into his eyes, "Good morning Gilbert." She spoke in a soft tone and laid a quick kiss on his lips. Gilbert smiled and wrapped his arm around her pulling her close to him, and he deepened the kiss. He pulled away after a moment "Hey, I'm going to take a shower, do you want to join me?" He blushed mildly at the boldness of his own words. He smiled at her happily despite his embarrassment.

*I could definitely get used to this…* A smile crossed her face as she thought about last night, and now she saw Gilbert in a whole new light. No matter what he was, where he came from, or what he could do, she had accepted him. However after last nights events, it was apparent that they were more than just friends now. Now he was extending an invitation for her to join him in the shower. How could she refuse now, she had shown him all that she was, and there was no more awkwardness between the two. She raised up on the bed and let the blanket fall off her, "Sounds good to me." She slid out of the bed and started walking towards the bathroom, motioning for Gilbert to follow her.

Squall rolled over in his bed to see Rinoa sitting across the room brushing her hair out. The things he had seen last night were burning vividly in his mind, and even though it had seemed weird to him at first, he felt oddly excited about it. Quistis had finally found herself someone and it wasn't like Squall could just keep it to himself...even though the situation around him finding out about it was rather interesting. Quelling the argument in his mind, he swung out of the bed and walked over to Rinoa, wrapping his arms around her. He brought his head close to her shoulder and she turned with a smile on her face.

"Good morning sleepyhead." She chuckled and gave him a quick kiss, "Ya know you were out like a light when I came in last night...that was unlike you Squall."

*Oh yeah that's right, she wasn't here when I came back last night...I wonder if she knows about Gil and Quistis yet...only one way to find out.* He shrugged, "It was a long day and I was beat."

Rinoa laughed again and tapped him on his forehead. "Are you sure something didn't hit you over the head while you were gone? Or is something on your mind?" A sudden realization took over her face, this was Squall she was dealing with, the man who was notorious for keeping secrets to himself and brooding about them.

Squall immediately sighed and said, "Well you see…"

Rinoa cut him off by standing straight up and looking him in the eye, "So you ARE hiding something!" She smiled, thinking that she had finally cracked Squall to tell her his inner thoughts.

Another sigh fell from Squall's lips, after all Rinoa was doing what she did best, assuming things and cutting him off. He shook his head, "Just give me a moment to explain what I mean." he went on to tell of his run in over in Gilbert's room last night, and when the punchline came Rinoa's face glowed bright with excitement.

"Are you serious?!" She was starting to lose herself to excitement, "I can't believe it! And this quick too!" She shook her head and sighed, "I guess I was right back then to give Quistis that talk before you all left!" Rinoa ran over to her dresser and started to pull out miscellaneous items that she thought Quistis would like for the things that she was doing with Gilbert…

Squall held out his arm and was caught speechless, "Come on Rinoa that's a bit excessive don't you think? Just let them be for now, theres no use to make it worse for them than it already is...that and I want to see Zell's face when he finds out…" He looked at the window laughing. "Either way its nice to see love blossoming in the air." He walked over to Rinoa and wrapped his arms around her.

She grabbed one of Squall's arms and turned around to face him, "I guess you're right…." She trailed off for a moment looking at the necklace hanging around Squall's neck. "...you know what? You've changed from when we first met…"

Gilbert smiled following her. His eyes wandered her slim body. "How did you sleep?" he asked as they stepped into the bathroom. He looked at the spot where he had bit her during their love-making. The spot was bruised nicely against her cream colored skin. Gilbert blinked "I am soo sorry. . . I didn't mean to bite you that hard"

Quistis smiled at him "Like a rock, felt like I didn't sleep at all yet I'm refreshed and ready for a new day." she started to rub at the spot where she had been bitten the night before. Even though she didn't mind, it was still irritating to have it there. After hearing Gil apologize about it she smiled and caressed his cheek, "Don't worry I've been wounded a lot worse than this, so its fine. Now c'mon and get your mind off that, and follow me." She back stepped into the shower and with a sudden flip of her finger she beckoned him to her.

Gilbert smiled, but he was still worried about the mark. The other Andreils,he'd trained with, had mentioned 'mated marks' and given their animal sides he wasn't surprised. He knew cat's bit each other while locked in the boughs of mating, so why not Andreils? Gilbert stepped close to her, and nuzzled the mark "You know, next time, you can leave your mark on me. . ." He reached behind himself and turned the faucet on, the icy water streamed down Gilbert's back, he gasped in surprise.

Quistis got an evil smirk on her face, "You know what I will take you up on that offer. But just know that I use a whip." She winked at him and pulled him close just as he turned on the faucet. The cold water rushed downward and she jumped a little. "ooh that's cold!" Even though she was cold she couldn't help but to laugh at Gilbert's reaction to the stream of cold water.

Gilbert hugged her close to him as he fumbled with the knob. After a moment or two the water warmed and Gilbert sighed happily. He tilted his head at the mention of a whip, he'd seen people whipped while he was a slave, but he was intrigued by the idea of using one for other activities. He smiled "sounds. . . interesting" he whispered huskily in her ear. He chuckled and pressed the bar of soap into her hand.

Quistis smiled at him now feeling the warm water over her own skin, she had not gotten a chance to actually get a good look at the guy she had surrendered herself too. And she liked what she saw, her brow raised and she nodded her head. "Hey Gilbert could you turn around just a bit…" *Ohhhh yea….* She chuckled as he whispered in her ear. "It sure will be fun." She winked at him and smirked as she got the bar of soap in her hand. "oh now what to do with this…" She looked to Gil and pushed her body against his as she rubbed the bar down his back, taking note of the tattoo sprawling across his back.

Gilbert did as asked, he turned his back to her. "Like what you see?" He looked over his shoulder at her, an amused smile crept across his face. He gave a soft grunt as she pressed herself against him, and made a pleased sound as she rubbed the soap against his back.

Quistis smirked, "Do I? or am I just imagining the hunk of a man standing in front of me?" She nudged him slightly before slowly running the bar of soap around to his torso. She smirked "I wonder…" and she started to run the bar of soap southward, to uncharted territory.

Gilbert smiled "I'm glad you think so" when she began to run the soap down his chest, he stopped her by putting his hand gently on hers "Not right now, besides" he took the soap from her "It's my turn." He lathered the soap up in his hands and rubbed the lather into her back.

Quistis smirked as Gil had stopped her, "Aww why not?" She didn't take that conversation any further but she did smirk at him as she started lathering his hands up. She turned around and let him cleanse her back and after a few more moments of this she turned right around and planted a kiss on his lips. Once she pulled back she grabbed Gil's hands and moved them each to where they were both touching her chest. "C'mon and clean me up Gilbert." She smirked at him again, "Go ahead don't be shy."

Gilbert blushed, unsure of what to do. The soap slipped from between his fingers. He smirked when he realized what she was hinting at, He trailed his fingers down her sides, and then around her waist he pulled her close to him. His eyes were clouded with what could only be desire. He pushed her against the shower wall gently but with enough force to make his intent clear. "I won't be. . ."

She smirked at him as he pushed her into the wall. "Ooh looks like someones ready for round two, here kitty kitty." She wrapped her arms around Gilbert and slowly ran her hands at a slow pace across his back to stimulate him.

Gilbert smirked and started move against her but as he did so, his foot slipped and sent the pair tumbling to the shower floor, she on top of him.

Quistis was about to lean into Gilbert for a kiss when both of them had started tumbling towards the bottom of the shower. Instead of the stereotypical screaming she was laughing the whole way down. When they had finally hit the shower floor, she realized that she had just planted her chest right into Gilbert's face. Thinking that she was smothering him, she quickly got up and asked, "What happened, you ok there Gil?"

Gilbert looked a bit startled and looked around, noticing the bar of soap, that was now outside the shower. "Stupid soap . . ." The albino's eyes trailed up to Quistis' "I stepped on the soap and fell" He started to get up. "I'm fine I just hurt my ass. . ." once he got up to his feet.

Shaking her head at him she got back up beside him, "Gotta watch that slippery bastard, he'll get you when your back's turned." She laughed and finished up her business before leaving the shower. She glanced at the clock across the room as she wrapped a towel around her. It was almost 9 in the morning, still had plenty of time to spend with Gilbert if she so pleased, after all they just got back from a mission, the chances of Squall sending them out the very next day were slim to none. She turned back to Gilbert and smiled, "You have anywhere you have to be today?" She spoke in a soft tone, "If not then would you like to accompany me to the training center?"

Gilbert sighed drying his hair with his other towel "You know I don't. . .I'm not even a Cadet" He lowered the towel and looked at her, his red eyes unclouded "So, I would like to accompany you. Should I put on my armor, and bring my weapons?" He stood up looking at her. "And wouldn't be best if you traded the dress you wore to dinner for something more practical?"

Quistis shook her head, "Of course it would be a good idea to bring your weapons, don't worry about the armor. The creatures there shouldn't prove to be that much of a challenge, besides I'm not going there to train…I want to show you something." She walked over to Gil and smiled, "Besides you are right there, I do need to change, you can find the training center right? if you get lost there is a directory at the exit from the dormitory wing. I'll meet you at the Training Center half an hour from now should be plenty of time." After drying herself off quickly she lost the towel and re donned her clothing that she was wearing the night before, and started for the door… Something made her stop and turn around though, a feeling in her gut. She walked back up to Gil and left him with a kiss before she left for her room.

Gilbert nodded and after she left changed into his usual outfit, and grabbed his quiver, bow, and claws. After a few minutes he stood waiting by the entrance for Quistis. He had closed his eyes, when four students came up to him, the first, a brunette girl, spoke.

"Hey, you're the guy that practices on the Quad, right?" He nodded, and the girl continued "I'm Selene, these are my friends Chester, Sophie, and Maria. We were wondering if you could show us how to fight like you?" Gilbert opened his eyes, and chuckled.

"Sorry, I'm waiting for someone, and they should be here soon, maybe later?" He quickly memorized their faces so that he would know for sure these faces from among the crowd that seemed to gather every time he trained. The four looked disappointed "Come find me in the Quad some time, and I'll gladly show you some stuff" The red headed boy, Chester, spoke up.

"Okay, sorry to bother you Mr. umm. . ."

"My name is Gilbert Byronson, but you can just call me Gilbert."

Spotting a few students down the hall Quistis sighed and stormed up onto them...the four students would have heard the sound of her heel's before realizing who it actually was. "Shouldn't you four be in class at this hour?"

Each of the 4 students turned simultaneously, and one freaks out. "Oh my god its Quistis! I"m sorry ma'am I'll return to class right away!" That student scurries off immediately.

The second student, the male, looks to Gilbert, "But what about him?"

Quistis shook her head, "Gilbert is a guest of the Garden, he is not a cadet at this moment, so he does not need to attend classes like you all. Now get going before I write you up."

The students, seeing her act of kindness in not immediately writing them up, took off like a bat out of hell, and Quistis turned to Gil, "I hope that they weren't bothering you."

Gilbert shook his head 'no' and smiled "Not at all, they were asking me to show them how to fight like I do" He stood to full attention "so what is it you wanted to show me?"

She laughed and flipped her hair back, which she was wearing down for once, "Well maybe someday you can teach them that, and as for what I wanted to show you, just follow me, and keep your weapon handy." She removed her chain whip from the pouch on her back and held it in her right hand as the entered through the series of gates into the Training center. Immediately upon entering the center they were attacked by two plant looking creatures.

Quistis immediately slung out her whip and took to a battle position, "Those things are grats, be careful to dodge their tentacle arms, it can be quite painful when struck by them." She immediately struck down one of them with a flurry of blows from her whip, and the creature disintegrated as did every other creature that dies in the training facility. She didn't take the fact that the other grat was right there and swinging to attack as she turned to look at it.

Gilbert roll ducked under one of the vine whips. He drew his bow, and shot it, A shock of lightning jumped across the creature's body before killing it. "What else is there?" He stood up. "Zell had mentioned a . . .T-rexaur?" Gilbert's eyes keep scanning the area.

Quistis smirked as the grat fell to the ground and dissipated, "Nice shot." After dusting herself off and then winding her whip back up in her hand she smirked, "Yeah those beasts wander around the main area from time to time, but between you and me it shouldn't be much of a challenge. Now if you'll follow me I'll show you why I brought you here." She took off to the left starting to walk up a metallic ramp.

A few minutes later the two came across a door in the wall of the center and Quistis looked back at Gil, "Here we go, you see we didn't come here to train, it just comes with the trip. The place I'm about to show you is my favorite place in the garden." She walked over to the door and pried it open, "Alright lets go."

Gilbert followed, "I'd guess not many people come here?" He hadn't looked around yet, he was busy keeping an eye out for anything that might attack them.

Quistis smiled, "Actually a lot of people used to back before the garden could fly. Now though there isn't much of a view anymore, either way it was a place for people to meet after curfew and hang out. Me and my friends always frequented here, made us feel like rebels." She sighed as she reached the top of the stairs beyond the door. "Hope you like the view as much as I do." They had reached an old balcony that seemed to be used to maintenance once upon a time. From their they could see the garden in its entirety even the ring hovering above it.

Gilbert looked around, his expression showed wonder. "This is amazing" He could feel a soft breeze from the slowly rotating ring. He smiled and hugged Quistis "Thank you for showing me this" His eyes scanned the area again, the city of Deling was standing tall once again "look, the city's has been rebuilt. . ."

She returned the hug to him, and said in a soft tone, "I thought I would share this with someone." She broke away from the embrace and leaned over the edge of the balcony, "I always used to come here to think, but ever since the business with the sorceress started I never got to come back here. Its kind of nostalgic." She sighed and looked up to the ring rotating above the garden. She suddenly noticed a red cloaked figure for just a moment before it disappeared. "What in blazes…" she turned to Gilbert, "Did you see what I just saw up there?"

Gilbert blinked "yeah. . . .We should probably tell Squall. . ." He looked like he was ready to go to war, yet calm enough to be ready to reason with the enemy.

Quistis nodded at Gil's statement, "Lets get going, we don't know if he stayed around or not." She started running down the stairs assuming that Gilbert was following right behind her. Just as soon as she burst through the door she was rammed into the wall by a large skull, which knocked her unconscious.

The wall shook as Gilbert saw Quistis get slammed into it by a large reptile. Gilbert grit his teeth growling, Quistis lay unconscious at the base of the wall. He put his hand in his pocket to touch the Gear Key. Using the Gear Key to project his thoughts he called "Squall! Zell! We need a bit of help here. Dragon-thing in the training area, Quistis is hurt. . .I'm on my own to attack it." He was panicked the thing would most definitely not be affected by his arrows, and certainly it's scaly hide would be too tough to pierce with his claws, and his charge of lightning was dwindling. . .

Squall had been all around the garden looking for Gilbert and Quistis, again. After the events that occurred last night, he didn't dare barge into his room, but left it with a simple knock to which no one had responded. At the moment he was sitting in the main corridor of the garden taking a break and collecting his thoughts. Suddenly there was buzzing that emitted from his jacket. Puzzled he reached into the pocket and pulled out the source...the gear key he had been given by Celeste. Immediately as his hand touched it he heard a familiar voice ringing in his head; It was Gil. He shot up from the bench and vaulted over the shrubbery in front of him. *Damnit!* He burst into the Training center and took off to the right, searching for the two and hoping that he would find them before something else happened.

Gilbert shifted to his panther form and jumped at the monster trying to keep it away from Quistis, he let out a loud scream roar. The monster focused on the black cat attacking it.

Squall heard the roar, and noticed that it did not belong to any creature that usually roams this area. He tightened the grip on his gunblade and bolted off towards the noise, not stopping for anything, cutting down grats left and right not even caring about the ones he just left wounded. Once the T-Rexaur came into sight, he could see Gilbert swiping at it in his panther form. Not wasting any time he lunged into the air and slammed his gunblade into the shoulder of the large lizard, and pulled the trigger. A large blast of fire emitted from the tip of the blade and blew a gaping hole right in the side of the beast. The force of the impact sent Squall flying backwards and slam into the ground. He wasn't thinking straight and didn't put his well being into account. However things worked out as the T-rexaur fell forward and dissipated.

Squall slowly got up and sheathed his blade, he had sustained minor burns across his body and his clothing was singed, yet he still walked over to the two and knelt by Quisits. "Looks like she just got minor injuries, I'll take her to Dr. Kadowaki." he turned to gilbert, "Thank you for watching over her until I got here." He picked up Quistis in his arms and started off towards the infirmary, "What happened Gil?" He asked as they started out from the Training Center.

Gilbert in an instant was standing next to Squall in his human form. "I'm coming too. Cause I need to tell you something." He fell in step with Squall on his way to the infirmary "The man in red appeared, on the ring above the Garden. . ."

Squall immediately stopped and looked at Gilbert, "Thanks again, I'll let the higher ups know immediately, can't be letting the cadets know that we have an enemy on the loose in our turf, they'll panic, and that's exactly what he wants to happen, if you see him anymore get ahold of me and I'll come to your aid."

A little bit later they arrived and in the infirmary and Dr. Kadowaki took her in and immediately went to work. The boys were asked to step out of the room and in the hall Squall spoke out to him, "Alright you stay here, shes going to want to see you when she wakes up. As for me I have to get the word out, and make sure when you go into the training center you are aptly prepared...those T-Rexaurs are a pain...especially when they appear in a pack." With that Squall nodded and took off towards the Bridge.

Gilbert nodded and rested against the wall, closing his eyes. He felt bad that he wasn't able to protect Quistis. 'She's a fighter too, She'll be okay'. After a few minutes he got up and started pacing the hall. "I'm so stupid. . .I should have gone first. . ."